Compressed-air starter for internal-combustion engines.



N- AVCHRISTENSENI COMPRESSED AIR STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.4 I9I5- Patented June 19, 1917.

N. A. CHRISTENSEN. COMPRESSED'AIR STARTER FUR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGJNES.

APPLICATION-FILED AUG-4,1915. 1,230,562. Patented June 19, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- rovercbor:

7?")6106625' 6.5 V I I W m Z I /JZM .ahmormem N A. CHRISTENSEN. COMPRESSED AIR STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGIN ES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. M1115- Patented J une 19, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Wijbmelssedl W P m com'panying drawing,

qters designate the same parts in the several UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-NIELS ANTON CHRISTENSEN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

CQMPRESSED'AIBSTARTER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

, To all whom it may con cern: I Be it known that I, NIELS A. CHRISTEN- snfn, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in thecounty of Milwaukee 5 and State of -Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compressed-Air Starters for Ieternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the acforming a part thereof.

The present invention is designed more particularly for starting multi-cylinder gasolene engines for automobiles of the Ford type.

The main objects of the invention to avoid the labor and trouble of hand crank ing to start engines of this kind; to provide simple, effective and easily installed apparat'us forthi'spurpose, the operation of which can be controlled from the dash or other convenientpointin the car or auto-- mobile by the driver without leaving his seat; and generally to improve theconstruction and operation of apparatus of this class.

It consists in the construction, arrangement and combinat on of parts as herein- 1 after particularly described and pointed out in the claims. r

In the accompanying drawing like charac- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a starter embodying the invention applied to a Ford engine Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on theline 3-3, Fig. 2, showing a part of the compressor, the clutch pinion and case and the starter and compressor ac- .40 tuating shaft; Fig. lisa vertical longitudi nal section on the line 4.4,Fig. 2, showing the compressed air clutch shifter; and Fig. 51s a vertical cross section on the line fi -5, Fig. 2, showing the starter cylinder, piston As shown in 1. and 2, the starter comprises a compressor 1, a. compressed air reservoir 2, astarter, cylinder 3, and a drivj-ers or controlling-valve 4.

a5 and associated parts.

The compressor, which .may be, like on similar to that shown and described in my applications for United States Letters Pat- ,ent Serial No.--630,630, filedJune 1, 1.911,,

:and Serial. No. 805,287, filed December 8,

55. 1913, is closely associated and mounted withthe'icylinder 3 one specially designed water Specification 01' Letters Patent.

Patented J one 1'9, 1917'.

Application filed August 4, 1915. Scria1No.43,565.

pipe 5, which connects the water jacket of the engine 6, with the radiator (not shown).

The reservoir 2, is mounted on any conye 'iient part of the car or automobile. and 13 connected by a pipe 7, with the drivers valve 1, which is mounted on the dash or any convenient part of the car within easy reach of the driver.

The valve 4, which is like orsimilar to the valve shown and described in the above mentioned application. Serial No. (330,630, or in my application Serial No. 805,288, filed December 8, 19135, is connected by a. pipe 8 with the upper end of the compressor cylinder 1, and by a pipe 9 withthe upper end of the starter cylinder 3.

The crank case of the compressor 1 is formed with feet 10, which are bolted to a cross support 11, cast on the water pipe 5.

A pinion case 12, cast in two sections bolted together, as shownin Fig. 3, is formed on opposite sides with extended hubs or l.)earings-13, for the starter and compressor actuating shaft-'14. One of these hubs or.

bearings may be cast integrally, as shown in Fig. 3, with one of the end covers of'the coi'npi'essor crank case, which formed or provided with a bearing for one of the journals of the ci'nnpressor crank 15, a hearing for the other crank journal being formed in the other cover of the crank case in axial alinement with the bearings 13. The pinion case 12 is formed with feet 16, which are bolted to a cross support 17, cast on the water pipe 5, as shown in Fig. 5'. For convenience in making the connectionwith the radiator, the pipe 5 is made in two'sections,

as shownin Fig. 1, the shorter front section being detacl'lalfly fastened. to the rear section by a bolt 18 passing axially, through the longer section. and. threaded at its front end in the shorter section.

The shaft 14 is provided at its front end,

as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and3, with a sprocket wheel 19, which is connected by a link belt, "as-indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, with a similar sprocket wheel 20, on the front cndof the main crank or engine shaft, so that while the en ine is running, the shaft 14' conb stantly driven thereby.

Within "and inclosed by thecase 12, as shown in Figs- 3 and 5, an amiularclutcli gear or pinion 21 is hmsely molnited on a circular clutch head 22, fixed on the shaft 14, the gear being loosely confined in place on the clutch head by washers or cheek so I i pieces 23, made in halves and bolted or riveted together thirohgzh the head. The head 22 is formed in. opposite sides of its periphery with tapering recesses in which are .l ooselv confined rollers 24-. Spring pressed pliflegers 25, inserted in sockets formed in the head 22 andopening into the larger ends "of the recesses therein, tend to press the rollers 24 toward the sl'naller ends of the refor the sake of lightness and strength is preferably made of drawn steel integrally with the upper lit-ad, is flanged at its lower end and fastened by crews to a detachable flanged head 26, which in turn' is seated upon and bolted to the .top of the case 12.

. The head 20 is formed with a central opening which registers with the upper. end of.

a sleeve 27, which llltGl'SBCtSltlld cominunieates with the pinion ease 1'20n one side. A tubular extension'28, is attached to the lower end of the sleeve 27.

A piston, 29, fitted in the cylinder 3, provided. with adownwardly. extending tubular rod 30, which is guided in thesleeve '27 and is fori'ned on one side with a rack 31,

normal] y meshing with the pinion 21..

The piston 29 is provided with a cup I leather or other suitable packing 3Q.

A spiral retracting spring 33, cormected with a hook. on a plug. 34 in the lower end of the piston rod-5 and passing upwardly therefrom through-"the piston, is connected at its upper end with a hook on a flanged v normally ilrthe upper part oft-he cylinder .5

cover fitting into and closing an opening in the upper end of thecyhnder -ito which it is.fas.tenetl. This spring holds the piston a short distance below its upper end with the lower end of the rack 31, in engagement With the pinion 21. A spiral compression.

spring 36 surrounding the npper end of the i spring 33 is seated at its lower end 1n a coun-v terbore in the'upper endof the piston rod 30, and by engagement with the upper end of the cylinder-:3, cushions and limits the upward. movement of the piston by the spring 33, in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5, but permits the piston to be forced farther upward'by the pinion 21 in caseyafi the'back firing of the engine, which sometimes occurs in starting. and turns the shaft 14 with the pinion 21 back ward. In this event, thelower end of the rack 31 passes out of mesh with the pinion 21 before the piston reaches the upper end of the cylinder, thereby prevent-in; injury to the parts of the starter. The spring 36 under eon'ipressioii, tends to force the piston rod 30 downward with its rack 31, into mesh with the pinion 21, as soon as it' is turned tothe right in the direction indicated by the arrow, a part of a revolution, until thepiston and pinion assume their normal positions, as shown in Fig. 5.

The "arrangei'nent of theretracting spring 33 Within the tubular piston rod 30, and its connection with the lower end of the rod and the upper end of the cylinder, as shown and described, admits of the employment of a long spring, and avoids the necessity 'of unduly lengthening the cylinder and of pro ed thereon hereinhefore explained.

The crank 15, \\h1eh 15 connected with the compressor piston 38, as shown in Fig.

3, is coupled with or disconnected from-the v firm supportfor the starter, which is mount.-

shaft 1+ for starting and stopping the coinressor b means of a con )lin or clutch anember 09, which is rotatable and movable axially in one of the bearings 13 between the rear end of the shaft 14 and the adjacent ournal. of; the crank 15. At its ends this clutch member is formed or provided with tongues fittin; corresponding cross slots in the adjacentends of the shaft 1-1 and crank journal! than the other, the longer tongue being in constant. engagement with the slot in the crank journal while the shorter tongue is movable into and out of engagement with the slot in the shaft 14. The intermediate portion of the clutch member, which isof cylindrical shape, is formed with circnm-- ferential teeth meshing with a pinion .40 on a cross shaft rotatahly confined and in closed in a sleeve hearing fornnal with and transversely to the u r side of the rear bearing 13, which it intersects; Adjacent to itsouter end, as shown in Fig. l. the

bearing 41 il'itersects and coi'nl'i'ninicates with bearin 1 -5? The cvlinder 42. which is 0' )en I? at its upper end, is formed. with-an intermediate (zentrallyperforated 1artition. and

is'i-provided in thelower part with a piston One of these tongues is longer" 43, and in the upper part with a cylindrical rack or cireumfcrentially toothed head 44-, which is connected with the piston l -3 by a rod 45 passing through the intermediate perforated partition of the cylinder and Formed or provided with a valve 4-6 which has a seat in the under side of the partiticm. The rack or toothed head it engages with a pinion 4.7 on the cross shaft provided with the pinion 4.0, as shown in Fig. it and indicated by dotted lines in Fig. The outer end oi the cross shaft. which projects from the sleeve bearing 4'1. provided, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with a cross pin or handle 48, for manually turning it and shifting the coupling or clutch l'nen'iber 39 to start or stop the compressor.

For starting and stopping the compressor with com nessed air hr the mimipulatiij n of the drivers valve i, the lower end o't'the cylinder 43, which is provided. with a. removable head, connected shown in Figs. 1 and. 2, by a plpt} l9, with a pz'issage in the head of the-.eoinprcssor cylinder in 'ciin'nnunication with the pipe the port through which the pipe 8 communicates with the compressor cylinder being provided with an oiiltwardly opening check valve 50.

Automatic lubricatiol'i of the severe i. working parts of the starter which. require lubrication, is provided for as follows:

An oil supply pipe 51, connected with the upper part of the flywl'ieel case of the engine, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, leads downwardly therefrom into the rear hearing 13. The pipe 51 is connected with the case 52 by means of a scrcwthreaded plug or fitting 53, which projects into said case and has an opening in the upper side, as indicated by dotted lines, for catching oil car ri'ed up and thrown off by the flywheel, and

delivering it to said pipe. The lower end of the tubular extension. 28 of the guide and housingfor the piston rod 30, is connected, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, by a pipe 54 with the lower part of the engine crank case 55. The crank case of the compressor is connectcd below the rear bearing 13. as shown in Fig. 3:3, by an oil passage 56 with the pinion case 12, which in turn has an overflow opening 57' into the Starter piston rod guiding sleei' e27. as shown in Fig. 5.

]D. 'tl1l operation of the a niara-tus, assuming the reservoir '2 to be charged with cornprcssed air at the requisite pressure to start the engine, the driver turns the valve 4: into position to admit air from the reservo r through the pipes '7 and 9 into the upper end of the cylinder The piston 2-9 is fm'eedquicltl downward. and the racin turns the pinion 21 5 to the right. as indi- .catcd 'by the arrow in Ii ig. thereby, through the one-Way] clutch connecting the pinion with the shaft 14, turning-said shaft in the. some direction. and. tl'irough the I sprocket wheels 10 and '20,'impa1.ting to the V engine crank shaft an impulse which causes it to mill at number oi revolutions. This under ordinary conditions, will be sufficient to start the engine. If, however. the engine fails to start, the. operation is repeated. As soon as an explosion takes place and the, engine begins to function normalli, the shaft M will be driven by its connection with the engine crank shaft through the sprocket wheels 19 and 20, the roller. 24 of the one on conununicatidn 'l'ietween the pipes 7 and 2 and establishing communication between the pipe 5) and the atmosphere. The comprcssed air being thus released from the upper end oi" the cylinder-.3, the retracting spring 83 returns the piston 29 to its initial position, shown in Fig. 5, t1hc pinion 21 turning freely backward on the clutch head 22. The upward return movement of the piston is arrested before it reach'esthe upper end of the cylinder, by the compression spring 36, which is stronger than the re traeting spring 33 and acts as a yielding stop for the piston.

In case the engine back fires in starting,

and turns the shaft 14- backward with the engine shaft, the pinion 21 is permitted to turn thenewith without undue,stra.in upon or injury to the parts of the starter, on account of the spring 36, which permits the piston 29 to be forced upward aboveits normal initial position, till the lower end of the rack 31 passes out of mesh with said pinion, the pinion teeth slipping by the end tooth of the rack. The pressure of the spring 36 however, holding the end tooth of the rack in yielding engagement with the pi.ni0n,.

tends to restore the piston to its initial positioii and to move th lower end-of the rack back into mesh with the pinion'teeth when the pinion. is again given a partial turn to the right. p v

To charge the reservoir 2 with compressed air, the driver adjusts the valved to establish communication through the pipes 7 and 8 with the. compressor 1, and through the pipe 49 with the lower end of the-cylinder 42 of the clutch eontrolleror shifter. Upon the admission of compressed air into the cylinder 42. the piston i3 is driven upward, thereby operating through the rack or toothed head 44 to turn the pinion 47, which operates through the pinion 4.0 to' shitt'the coupling or clutch nn-niber 39 to the left,

as shown in Fig. The shorter tongue of the coupling or clutch member 39 being thus engaged with the slot in the shaft 14 operatively connects said shaft with the crank 15, thereby starting the compressor, which operates to force air through the discharge check valve 50,.pipe 8, valve 4 and pipe 7,

4 into the reservoir 2, until the desired pressure is established therein,:Whereupon the driver returns the, valve 4 to its normal posit'ion, cutting off the connection between the out of engagement with the starter shaft 14,

and after bearing and stopping the compressor. The valve 46, which seated in the opening in the diaphragm or partition between the upper and lower parts ofthe cylinder 42 whenjhe piston 3:3 is forcedupward to start the coin pressor as above explained, prevents the es cape of compressed air around the piston. rod 45 into the upper part of the cylinder which is open to the atmosphere, and the pressure which accumulates in the cylinder bet-ween the valve and the piston is suificient 'to force the piston downward when the prem ere \is released through the pipe 49 from the lower end of the cylinder.

If there is insufiicient pressure in thereservoir 2' for starting the compressor, as above explained, by manipulation the drivers valve 4:, the compress r may be started by turning the handle on the shaft of the pinions 420 and 1-7 to the right, ressure has been established in the reservoir and in the controller or clutch shifter cylinder e2, the-compressor may be Y stopped by manipulation of the drivers valve 4, as above explained.

The several parts of the starter requiring lubrication are supplied with oil. from the flywheel. case 52 through the pipe 51 which 'leads into the bearing 13 between the com.-

pressor and the-pinion case 12; From this and llects inthe lower part of thecran-k case o? the compressor, from which. it overflows through the passagefit into the lower part of ion 12, so!" lus oil overflows through the opening. into the tubular extension 28 of the piston rod guide bearing 27,- and thence" through the pipe 54 back into the surplus oil sup:

crank case star the engine. A artof the Y lied to the rear armg 13 e shaft 14%., directly nto the works around t Oil'taken up from thelmver pinion case 12.

a part of the surplus oiliflows into the pinion case 1'2. From the pin part ofthe case 12 by the pinion 21, is distributed to the parts of the clutch and to the shaft bearings-'onopposite sides of. the case, keeping them thoroughly lubricated. The compressor crank 15 throws the oil collectmg 1n the lower part of the crank ease uptoothed head or rack- 44, su'fiicient'oil working downward therefrom around the piston.

rod into the lower end of the cylinder to keep the piston-43 lubricated. Various changes in details of construction and. arrangement of parts. may be inadewithout departure "from the principle and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a compressed air starter for inter nel combustion engines, the combination with an engine shaft, of a starter shaft con nected therewith, a compressed air reservoir, a cylinder connected withsaid resere voir, a piston fitting-in said-cylinder and having one-Way clutch connection with. the starter-shaft, a compressor having'an air connection with the reservoir, a clutch for connecting the compressor (with the starter shett, a compressed air shifter connected with the compressor clutch, and a valve controlling the air connections between the refs ervoir, starter cylinder, clutch shifter and compressor Y In a compressed air starter for internal coml'mstion engines, the combination wardly into the lower end of the compressor with an engine shaft, of a starter shaft hZLV,

ing a power transmission connection with the engine shaft, a compressed air reservoir,

a cylinder connected with. said reservoir and provided with a piston having a one Wa-y clutch connection with the starter shaft, a compressor having an on connection with the reservoir, a clutch for connecting the coinpressor With the starter shaft, a'com.

pressed =air shifter connected with saidtlutch, means for manually shifting said 3 clutch, and a valve controllingthe air connections between the reservoir, starter cylinlermompressor and clutch shifter. 3. ,Ina compressed llli starter for nternal cmnlmstion engines, the v colnblnatlon with an engine shaft, of a stir tjei sha thaving a'rotating connection therewith, -a cylin derhaving a. compressed air supply conneetion, and a piston provided with a tubular rack rothe spiral retracting spring passin through the piston into the tubular rod and eonnectin the distant end of the rod with for attachment to the 'engine casing and -the"cylind er on the opposite side of the pis-' with supports for the starter. ton, -a compression spring'jhterposed be 6. In combination with an internal combustween the piston and the cylinder head on -tion engine and a starter therefor, a water 5 vthe opposite side of thtpistn from the piscirculating ipe for the engine com osed of 40 ton rod, and a pinion looselyv mounted on two separab esections connected en to end, and having a one-way clutch connection the longer seetionhaving means for attachwith theqstarter shaft and normally mesh ment to theen ine casing and provided with ing with the rack rod. supports for tie starter, and a bolt passin 1o 4.. In a compressed air starter for inaxially through the longer section 8.11515 tome]. combustion engines, the combination threaded in the shorter removable section. with the engine shaft, of a starter shaft conj 7. In a comprewed air starter for interneeted therewith, a compressor, a cluteh'for pal combustion engines the combination connecting the compressor With'the starter :with an engine crank shaft, flywheel and 15 shaftg'a clutch shifter comprising a cylinder, case inclosing the same, of a starter" shaft 60 a piston fitted in the cylinder and provided connected with the crank shaft a comwith a rod assing through an. opening-in pressed air motor having aclutch connec-t one end of t e cylinder andconne'eted with" tion with the starter shaft, aLOOmP BS BOI" the eluteh, a valveon the piston rod adapted" having a. clutch conn'ectionwith'tlie starter v i i an to close the opening-in the end of the cylinashaft, the starter shaft and its clutch con- '56 den around'the'piston rod when the plston' nections being incased together, and lubriis moved into position to operatively coneating means comprising an oil conduit, thBYGOfiIPI'QSS OLWlth thestarter shaft, leadin from theup er part of the engine a rewrvoir connected with the dischargeflcasea jacentto the ywheel into the casing mi port'of the compressor and with the shifter of; the starter shaft and its-clutchconnec- 60 cylinder on the opposite side of the piston .tiona, and .an overflowand return conduit from said valve, and: drivers valve ada t.- leadingiromsaid easing into the lower p'art'- ed to open and close the connection of extort e engine case. t 1 reservolr with the compressor and, In witness whereof I heretoafix my Bigto cylinder and-t0 0 en. and close communicanature inpresence of two witnesses.

Ylindr and NIELS ANTON CHRISTENSEN.

15. In combination with-an internal oom- Witnesses: i a

bastion e and a starter therefor, a Gms. L.- Goss, rcu ting pipe provided with means 3 Anion E Goes,

It water oi 

